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Figure caption: The slider above shows satellite estimates of NO₂ from Aura’s Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) as an average of April 15 through May 31 over South America. The image on the left shows the mean of the 230-day period from 2015 through 2019, while the image on the right shows the mean of the 46-day period for 2020. The sliders below show the same information, but zoomed to show five major South American cities. The images are free and publicly-available and may be downloaded.

The slider above shows satellite estimates of NO₂ from Aura’s Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) as an average of April 15 through May 31. The image on the left shows the mean of the 230-day period from 2015 through 2019, while the image on the right shows the mean of the 46-day period for 2020.

OMI detected SO2 change over India after national lockdown

Figure caption: India recently became the world’s largest emitter of sulfur dioxide (SO₂). The highest SO₂ levels are over eastern India and primarily associated with electricity generation. Other sources in India include the ceramics industry. The slider above shows satellite data of SO₂ from Aura’s Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), averaging levels between March 25 and April 25.

Pandemic Before and After: Los Angeles 2015-2019 versus 2020

Figure caption: On March 19, California was one of the first states to set mandatory stay-at-home restrictions in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19. Arizona and Nevada followed suit around April 1. The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on board NASA’s Aura satellite provide data that indicate that these restrictions have led to about a 31% decrease in NO₂ levels in the Los Angeles basin relative to previous years. NO₂, or nitrogen dioxide, is an air pollutant measured by OMI. The estimated reductions for other cities in the Southwest U.S.

Nitrogen Dioxide Levels Rebound in China

In early February 2020, scientists using NASA and European satellites detected a significant reduction in a key air pollutant over China after the country shut down transportation and much of its economy. Three months later, with most coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdowns ending in China and economic activity resuming, the levels of nitrogen dioxide over the country have returned to near normal for this time of year. Scientists expected this rebound.

Pandemic Before and After: South Asia: 2017-2019 versus 2020

Figure caption: On March 24, 2020, Prime Minister Modi ordered a nationwide stay-at-home order for India’s 1.3 billion citizens in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19. As a consequence, less fossil fuels are being consumed and, subsequently, less air pollution is being emitted in India and also in neighboring countries, including Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. The slider above shows satellite data of NO₂ from the Aura Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) as an average of March 25 through April 25.

Pandemic Before and After: Southeast US: 2015-2019 versus 2020

Figure caption: Over the past several weeks, the Southeast U.S. has seen significant reductions in air pollution over many of its major metropolitan areas, such as Atlanta and Charlotte. Similar reductions in air pollution have been observed in the Northeast U.S., Florida, and across the globe.

Pandemic Before and After: Florida 2015-2019 versus 2020

Figure caption: Over the past several weeks, Florida has seen significant reductions in air pollution over many of its major metropolitan areas, such as Miami and Orlando. Similar reductions in air pollution have been observed across the globe. These recent improvements in air quality have come at a high cost, as communities grapple with the widespread stay-at-home advisories that began about a month ago as a result of the spread of COVID-19. Major League Baseball (MLB) spring training games were canceled on March 12 and Disney World in Orlando closed on March 16.

Airborne Particle Levels Plummet in Northern India

On March 25, 2020, the Indian government placed its 1.3 billion citizens under a strict lockdown to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The country-wide mandate decreased activity at factories and severely reduced car, bus, truck, and airplane traffic. After just a week of reduced human activities, NASA satellite sensors observed aerosol levels at a 20-year low for this time of year in northern India.

Video: Northeast US 2015-2019 versus 2020

Over the past several weeks, the Northeast U.S. has seen significant reductions in air pollution over many of its major metropolitan areas, such as New York City and Baltimore. Similar reductions in air pollution have been observed across the globe. These recent improvements in air quality have come at a high cost, as communities grapple with the widespread stay-at-home advisories that began about a month ago as a result of the spread of COVID-19. The animation shows satellite data of NO₂ from the Aura Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) over the Northeast United States in March for each year from 2015 to 2020. Year-to-year variations in weather and pollutant emissions cause variations in the monthly means for individual years. March 2020 shows the lowest values as compared to any of the monthly values for March during the OMI data record, which spans 2005 to present. Caution: Further analysis is required to rigorously quantify the amount of the change in NO₂ levels associated with changes in pollutant emissions versus natural variations in weather.

2015-2019 Average NO2 for the Northeast US

Pandemic Before and After: Northeast US 2015-2019 versus 2020

Coronavirus lockdown leading to drop in pollution across Europe

New data, based on observations from the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite, are showing strong reductions in nitrogen dioxide concentrations over several major cities across Europe – including Paris, Madrid and Rome.

COVID-19 Impact on Asian Emissions: Insight from Space Observations

On March 17th, the lead PIs of ACCLIP (Asian summer monsoon Chemical and Climate Impact Project) made the decision to postpone the ACCLIP airborne field campaign from summer 2020 to 2021. The airborne field campaign was jointly funded by the NSF and NASA, and involves both the NCAR research aircraft Gulfstream V and the NASA research aircraft WB-57. This decision was forced by the global COVID-19 outbreaks.

Airborne Nitrogen Dioxide Decreases Over Italy

In February, we showed a drop in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels over China as a result of the coronavirus quarantine. New data from the European Space Agency (ESA) now show drops in NO2 concentrations over Italy due to that country’s nationwide lockdown. The change is particularly evident in the Pro Valley of northern Italy.

Airborne Nitrogen Dioxide Plummets Over China

NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) pollution monitoring satellites have detected significant decreases in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) over China. There is evidence that the change is at least partly related to the economic slowdown following the outbreak of coronavirus.

Air pollution is triggering diabetes in 3.2 million people each year

Air pollution caused 3.2 million new cases of diabetes worldwide in 2016, according to a new estimate. Fine particulate matter, belched out by cars and factories and generated through chemical reactions in the atmosphere, hang around as haze and make air hard to breathe. Air pollution has been linked to chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes (SN: 9/30/17, p. 18), but this study is one of the first attempts to quantify the connection for diabetes.

Every Breath You Take: Who Is Monitoring Air Quality in Kenya?

“Is that air you’re breathing now?” Morpheus asks Neo in the 1990s cult classic, The Matrix. The same question could be asked of millions of Kenyans for whom the quality of what they inhale on a daily basis has for too long been taken for granted.

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